01 November 2022.
Newton County, Texas, United States
Locality: Plants growing along the west side of Texas State Hwy 87 on the edge of the woodlands. Plant is infrequently found, but a regular member of the woodlands as well as forest edge communities along the highway.
Coordinates: 31.1585, -93.7385
(Map it)
Elevation: 115m.
Habitat: Wild Habitat
Environment description: Plants are growing in part-shade to sun on upland dry hills. In shade they survive, but in part-shade to sun they develop excellent flowering and fruiting.
Soils: The underlying geology of this area is of Oligocene origin and characterized as Catahoula Formation. This formation is extensive and deep in Texas, up to 185 meters thick. In the area of the collection the Catahoula Formation is primarily mudstone and sand. The upper 90-150 meters is mudstone that is tuffaceous, and sandy; also, occasionally, with some bentonitic clay.
Source: USGS Texas Geologic Map Data (https://mrdata.usgs.gov/geology/state/sgmc-unit.php?unit=TXQbs%3B0
The primary soil types in the collection area are classified as Letney-Tehran soils. These soils consist of deep, somewhat excessively drained, moderately rapidly permeable soils on uplands. They were formed in thick loamy and sandy sediments on the Western Coastal Plain. The Letney-Tehran soils are on gently sloping to moderately steep uplands with slopes ranging from 1 to 20 percent. They are typically strongly acidic.
Source: NRCS Web Soil Survey (https://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/WebSoilSurvey.aspx)
Number of plants sampled: 2
Associated species: Ilex vomitoria, Liquidambar styraciflua, Smilax sp., Rhus copallinum, Berchemia scandens, Pinus taeda, Prunus mexicana, Quercus falcata, Prunus caroliniana, Frangula caroliniana, Viburnum rufidulum, Quercus stellata, Yucca louisianensis, Symphyotrichum sp.
Comment: This species is a multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub to small tree, 4-5 meters tall. Plants are often narrow in shade, becoming broadly rounded in more sun. Young stems are multi-colored, varying from dark purple to brown with tan to gray patches. Older, mature stems become dull gray. Twigs and stems have thorns that are straight or slightly recurved. Leaves are broadly ovate to deltate, 1.5–3 cm long and wide with a broadly cuneate to truncate leaf base; the leaves are characterized by several deep lobes giving them a “parsley leaf-like” appearance. Fruits are pomes and bright red to orange-red when mature, ranging in size from 0.7-0.9 cm diameter; often borne in corymbose inflorescences of few to several fruits.
Collector(s):